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To qualify for disability, either for social security disability or ssi disability, you need to successfully get through two different sets of criteria established by the social security administration with regard to their disability benefit programs. The first set of criteria has nothing to do with your condition, but everything to do with basic eligibility for either program. For the social security disability program and the ssi program, a disability claimant cannot work and earn more than an amount equal to or greater than what is known as SGA, or substantial gainful activity. To learn about sga, visit this site's definition section. The second set of criteria, of course, has everything to do with a claimant's medical, psychological, or psychiatric condition. Essentially, the process works this: an applicant for ssdi (social security disability insurance) or ssi benefits contacts an SSA field office and requests that an application be taken for disability benefits. After such a request has been made, an appointment will be set to do an in-office interview or a telephone interview. Following this interview, and the completion of an applicant's paperwork, the disability file will be transferred to a state-level agency that is assigned the task of evaluating a claim for disability and making a decision. That agency is known, in most states as DDS, otherwise referred to as Disability Determination Services. This is what happens at DDS: a claimant's file arrives from a social security office, is assigned to a disability examiner, and that examiner begins immediately to order medical records from all the treatment sources indicated by the applicant on their application. 
Once those medical records begin to arrive, the examiner can begin to go about the task of deciding whether or not a person will qualify for disability. What determines whether or not you will qualify for disability? The process is fairly simple. If a claimant's medical records indicate that they are not capable of doing their past work or any other type of work (after considering, of course, their age, education, work skills, and the level of their physical and mental restrictions), they will qualify for disability and be put on benefit receipt status (ie they will be approved for disability). If, however, a review of their records shows that they are capable of returning to their past or some type of suitable other work, they will not qualify for disability and their claim will be denied. Obviously, having strong medical records is a key component to winning a social security disability or ssi disability claim. Disability Advocates Help with Claims Free Case Evaluation |
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SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY ATTORNEY, REPRESENTATIVE LAWYER LIST ANSWERS TO YOUR SSD & SSI QUESTIONS PAGE 3 ANSWERS TO YOUR SSD & SSI QUESTIONS PAGE 4 |
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